Many students unfortunately see mathematics as a boring and abstract subject and the majority of the population ends up fearing or loathing it. But over the past year, Every1Counts Club sessions at Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College have been nurturing a love and passion towards maths among pupils and young students. Not only did the learners appreciate the beauty and application of maths to daily life but they were also given opportunities to succeed in the subject.
During the sessions, learners were given hands-on activities that encouraged problem-solving and the application of fundamental mathematical concepts and skills to daily life situations.
Tots+ Maths Club for children aged four to six undertook activities using the creative arts. They were also given the opportunity to explore shapes and measures using a multisensory approach.
The Junior Maths Club for learners aged seven to 10 enabled participants to develop their critical thinking skills by solving multiple investigations and challenging tasks. It was also an arena for peer collaboration and for expressing mathematical ideas and thoughts.
The Maths Club Squared for secondary students aged 11 to 13 allowed them to focus on the properties of shapes while solving puzzles involving tangrams and the Soma cube. The students became aware of the importance numbers have in life, and of ways in which they can be a source of fun through activities involving magic squares and number pyramids. Dates, seen as mundane aspects of our lives, were transformed into intriguing mathematical puzzles. The students were also encouraged to look at the weather report through the eyes of mathematicians so they analysed information through topics such as statistics, graphs and directed numbers.
The clubs have proved to be very popular, and following the positive feedback received they will continue to run throughout the coming year. The sessions are also open to pupils and students who attend schools other than Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College.